1. Morag Gillespie Scottish Poverty Information Unit Institute for Society and Social Justice Research FEANTSA European Conference “Existing in Limbo” Barcelona 16 November 2012 A SYLUM IN S COTLAND : D ESTITUTION AND H OMELESSNESS

2. D ESTITUTION AND A SYLUM R ESEARCH Aim: Improve understanding of current causes, extent, impact of destitution Survey of destitute people 12 Interviews Refugee Survival Trust grants data 2009-2012/ Scottish Refugee Council case studies Focus group - advice and support services Workshop – discuss findings &recommendations Focus today: key results and housing/ homelessness issues

3. RST G RANTS P ROGRAMME 1,849 grants over 2009-12: most male, single, ave age 31, from 67 countries, 49% homeless – some families with children Main reasons for grants: Travel to claim asylum/ make fresh submission Awaiting Section 95 asylum support/ Section 4 support Awaiting emergency support Refugees - awaiting mainstream benefits Asylum Support withdrawn

4. D ESTITUTION S URVEY : 5 - 11 M ARCH 115 people + 12 adult dependants, 21 children 148 destitute 71 men, 44 women, average age 32, from 29 countries Women – high proportion destitute (38%) compared with asylum claimants (30% - 2011) I NTERVIEWEES 6 men & 6 women, ages 20 to 53, from 8 countries All experienced destitution as refused asylum seekers

5. S URVEY - A SYLUM S TATUS

6. S URVEY - T IME D ESTITUTE Claims from 2001-2012 - some in system for a decade 36% destitute over a year, including 4 families with children 40% destitute more than once – including refugees Total time destitute – average 1.5 years, range from a few days to 6.5 years Interviewees were destitute for long spells – 7 years for one man

7. R EMAINING IN THE UK AFTER REFUSAL Bar is set high: 1951 convention - not got ‘well founded fear of persecution in country of origin New Asylum Model – fast decisions – lengthy review process Protection outside convention was 1 in 4 in 2005, now 1 in 10 People from some countries are ‘in limbo’ Quality of decisions?

8. A SYLUM SEEKERS ’ H OUSING IN S COTLAND Ypeople: Red Road flats in Glasgow till 2012 – flexible with people refused asylum New providers: SERCO Angel group (agent housing people with private landlords Own Arrangements If refused and on Section 4 support – must stay in allocated accommodation as condition for getting vouchers Homelessness risk high if refused asylum or refugee status/leave to remain granted

9. W HERE THE P ERSON S LEPT L AST N IGHT

10. S OMEWHERE TO LIVE Interviewees experienced street homelessness (one sleeping in a store cupboard) Housing could be precarious, uncomfortable and poor conditions: “ At the moment I still have got my accommodation from Ypeople. But basically they cut off my power. I don’t have electricity since two months, I have no power, I can’t wash my clothes, I can’t cook, I haven’t had since 2 months hot food.”

11. S OMEWHERE TO LIVE ““The people are very nice really...I also can imagine just looking after somebody, if someone is come in to my premises, they don’t have anything, you provide food, you provide bedding for them – they don’t have their own bedding, you provide them with shelter, you provide everything – they are dependent on you... Some of these people are not that well off. Again, they don’t also have much. Some, they can only accommodate you for a while because they’ve got families.”

12. I MPACT OF H OMELESSNESS Few opportunities for cash Some got only somewhere to sleep Still had to find food/ clothes etc “They have to give me money for bras and pants. Its very difficult because nobody gives me any money. I have to ask the Red Cross for sanitary wear.” Family links were difficult/ costly

13. I MPACT OF H OMELESSNESS Access to health services better than England/Wales, but difficult to negotiate Education opportunities (English) hard to sustain: “it was hard, just hard to concentrate. You know I just keep going to college but. I used to have, really, a problem to concentrate on what the teacher was saying and... although if I am in the class, still I have to think of who I’m going to meet or who I’m going to call to let me into his flat or stuff.” Return home would also mean being destitute and homelessness

14. S OCIAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPACT “You live in someone’s house... You know every time you have to hold yourself and try to think: do they like what I am doing... because they might throw me out of their house... I have to do what’s expected of me. I have got no choices. I would say all choices are lost to me.”

15. UKBA AND THE ASYLUM PROCESS “What do they expect from me, what am I going to do? If you don’t have accommodation, if you don’t have money, if you don’t have, basically, no life. Of course you get depressed, you get under pressure” Interviewees wanted: Humane treatment Right to work some support

16. R ECOMMENDATIONS Better co-ordination and delivery of services (e.g. on release from detention) Better transitions in housing provision – let people stay in accommodation until resolved Right to Work End to End support Accurate public information More temporary or humanitarian protection Devolved Scottish Government – more of a role?